Here in Australia prisoners serving a sentence of 3 years or more are barred from voting in federal elections. The logic is that they have comitted a “serious” crime (although it is quite minor in comparison to the crimes that government commits everyday), and therefore they no longer deserve the privledge of choosing their leaders like the rest of the community.
What are some libertarian views on this?
Since voting is bogus anyway (voting for what? Oh, you mean giving people the power to take from someone else? Sorry, not legitimate) it’s sort of a non sequitor.
I don’t really have a viewpoint. Even if I thought voting was legitimate, I still wouldn’t. I don’t think the idea of a rapist making decisions that effect innocent people is very good, but if it’s some felon that committed a no property crime, why not?
Better question: Should people who vote be prisoners?
Of course, I am kidding, but they are tacitly accepting the status quo by participating.
Be allowed to vote on what? My property? No. Neither should anybody else.